A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

John 13:34-35 NIV

I love to watch the birds as they scurry around the backyard. Some come in flocks, others make their appearance one by one. They seem to have their own personality, and I enjoy watching them interact with each other. The feeder I have is small so it is perfect for the finches, but for the larger birds it can be a balancing act to get a few bites. That was until a little blue bird showed up.

One morning, a bird with feathers as blue as the sky showed up on the feeder. She didn’t look anything like the other birds in the yard. The bird quickly found the feeder and began to eat. A robin flew up to the feeder but couldn’t land on the tiny perch.

I noticed seed falling from the feeder onto the ground. The little bird was knocking seed out of the feeder down to the bigger birds on the ground. I thought of the scripture where Jesus reminds us to not be anxious and that birds do not worry about what they will eat, for they will find food.

A flock of robins and doves had gathered under the feeder to eat. The little bird continued to share the food until the last bird flew off. I thought, did God send her so the other birds would have a meal?

How often do I miss opportunities to share God’s love with others? I get busy and that encouragement card doesn’t get sent; or the phone call to a friend to check on them doesn’t get made. We say we will do it later and sadly days, even weeks, go by and we haven’t done it.

The little bird could have eaten her meal and left. But instead, she shared her abundance of seed with others. Is there someone you need to share God’s love with today?

Lord, help me recognize opportunities to share with others your love for us. Whether it is through prayer, or random acts of kindness. May those I encounter today see You through me. Amen.

Mitzie Avera